Ondigital Rebranding to ITV Digital

LegacyUser

I post this thread a few weeks ago on another forum. I was thinking what anyone else had to say.


I would think myself that ON/ITVDigital is waiting to re-arrange the channels, new software for the rumoured 7 day epg and the new channel ID's for ITV Digital.

Remember that ITV SPORTS will more than likely be, beside SKY SPORTS 1,2,3 and mov'in Eurosport there would be handy as well and there is also the Pay-Per-View Football as well. Which would be good on its own channel beside all the Sport.

As with Sports the Film channels together would be a good Idea. The same with the primary Channels. And putting all the text service together would be handier and stop the older slow boxes from crashing as much because you can jump over them.

The BBC is also changing the names of Choice and Knowledge to BBC 3/4 and the new childrens channels. BBC Knowledge is more than likely to move to MUX 1 from MUX A. BBC Parliment is also to get a quarter screen of video like ONRequest Info.

There is also question of ONRequest which will need to be rebranded.

Moving ONRequest Adult with the Other Adult Channels would also help.

2 Way TV games channel is also to come Later this year.

I think they will do everthing at the same time as they did early last year.

LegacyUser

Well - the BBC probably won't move BBC K until its SDN contract runs out (unless it can get out of it early and save money). ANy other BBC changes will not happen at the same time as the OnD changes unless it is a co-incidence. On/ITV have no control over the BBC's channels, as you probably know.

LegacyUser

I only made the BBC point, for two reasons, one if BBC Knowledge was to move, it would free up more bandwith for other broadcasting. And to remind people about the BBC digital plans.

There is also the other problem that Channel 5 may want its bandwith back in 2002(I think) when the contract with SDN/BDB runs out.

LegacyUser

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by mickyperry:

There is also the other problem that Channel 5 may want its bandwith back in 2002(I think) when the contract with SDN/BDB runs out.</font>

There may be better compression algorithms by then so it may not affect things too adversely. I wonder how much of Channel 5's allocation is leaded to SDN. (Ch5 have 1/4 MUX)

LegacyUser

Is the muxA not owned half and half. With Channel 5 renting some to SDN/BDB. Because I remember that special permission had to be got for BBC Knowledge to broadcast and this was before Onrequest. I think that Channel 5 uses less that 25% to broadcast.

LegacyUser

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by mickyperry:
Is the muxA not owned half and half. With Channel 5 renting some to SDN/BDB. Because I remember that special permission had to be got for BBC Knowledge to broadcast and this was before Onrequest. I think that Channel 5 uses less that 25% to broadcast.</font>

Firstly, I think the name BDB is now redundant. I think it is correct to use OnDigital (for the time being!). They have nothing to do with MUX A apart from the fact that it is viewable via their boxes and that OnRequest is a joint venture between SDN and OnDigital.

Secondly, the ownership is as follows:

1/2 - winner of franchine auction - SDN
1/4 - S4C - i.e. SDN (S4C Digital Network)
1/4 - Channel 5.

It might no thave happened that SDN got the franchise. They effectively have 1/4 MUX by right, and 1/2 by auction.

Thirdly, the BBC had to get special permission from Chris Smith to be allowed to pay SDN for use of their MUX. It was the issue of having to pay someone else for MUX space that needed clearance.

In Wales, there needed to be a change in the law, as non-Welsh language programming could not be put on the 1/4 of the MUX that was S4Cs. The law was changed, and BBC K belatedly arrived.

LegacyUser

Please check the following link:

http://www.dtg.org.uk/reference/company_briefs/sdn.htm

A small amount of text from the page:

SDN - the licensee for multiplex A.

SDN was the sole applicant for the multiplex and was born out of S4C desperation that no one might bid for the multiplex they were given. Their bid was uncontested but the ITC did not award the licence for multiplex A at the same time as the others, due to concerns about financial backing. Since then it has become more popular, with unsuccessful applicants for multiplexes, NTL and United News and Media, buying into SDN and giving it the backing it always needed. The licence was awarded in June 1998.


The ITC license conditions are as follows:

50% of the multiplex is allocated to Channel 5 throughout the UK
50% is allocated to S4C in Wales
The licensee must produce 30 mins of Gaelic programming in Scotland during peak time.
SDN's UK network is distributed by satellite link from a master playout centre at Langley in Buckinghamshire. The communications network is shown below:

The Pest Release for On Request:

ONdigital and SDN sign Pay Per View deal
ONrequest's five channel service to launch this Spring
11 January 2000

SDN and ONdigital today announce that the formal agreement for their joint venture to launch digital terrestrial pay per view services (PPV) has been signed. The service, to be branded ONrequest, will offer up to five channels of top class movies and other events on a pay as you go basis.

ONrequest will launch this spring and will add extra choice for DTT viewers, giving them access to first run movies and other events such as major sports and entertainment as well as the best subscription channels. Unlike satellite and cable pay per view services, ONrequest will be available directly to ONdigital subscribers and also to non-subscribers providing they have either a DTT set top box or an integrated digital TV (idTV).

The service will use up to five channels on SDN's Multiplex A. ONdigital will supply customer management services and conditional access technology to the joint venture.

ONrequest Managing Director Charles Andrew said:
"I'm delighted that the deal has now been signed. ONrequest brings together the major ITV companies, NTL and S4C to offer pay per view through the TV aerial. It has potentially the biggest audience of any UK pay per view service. I am already in negotiation with the major movie studios and I look forward to bringing the best pay per view service to ONrequest's customers from this Spring."

ONdigital Chief Executive Stuart Prebble said:
"This is incredibly important for Digital Terrestrial Television - and for ONdigital. We already offer a tremendous range of multi-channel TV programmes and adding pay per view makes it a comprehensive and unbeatable service matching satellite and cable. ONdigital customers and the increasing number of other viewers with idTVs will now have access to the best first run movies and to great sport and entertainment.

"As the market for digital terrestrial TV grows, both through ONdigital boxes and through idTVs, so does the potential market for ONrequest. The fast-growing success of our prepaid box offer will provide another rich potential source of pay per view customers. We are sure that a high proportion of our customers will want to take advantage of the new service.

"In addition, we believe that non-subscribers who see what pay television has to offer through ONrequest will decide to sign up for ONdigital subscriptions too in large numbers."

SDN Managing Director Emyr Byron Hughes said:
"ONrequest will complement both the free to air and subscription services on DTT. It allows SDN to use its capacity in a way which will benefit all DTT viewers."

"When analogue signals are switched off, around 2006, DTT will be in virtually every UK home. In the short term ONrequest will extend choice and add value for ONdigital's customers. In the long term it will make PPV services available to everyone receiving DTT, whether or not they subscribe to ONdigital. This will extend significantly the potential market, income and profit of ONrequest and will give DTT a unique advantage over other digital platforms."
Back

LegacyUser

Oh, right - So basically the franchise holder had no rights to broadcast its own programmes in Wales. When it started OnRequest, it made use of CH5's free space. Later, it used the space it had by virtue of being S4C for BBC Knowledge.